The National Hockey League's 32nd franchise came to life on Thursday, as the new Seattle franchise announced their nickname and gave fans a first look at their logo and uniforms.
Fans assumed the brand would be sea-related after Wednesday's teaser video, and they were correct.
The logo is a stylized “S,” paying homage to the squads of the past that wore uniforms with a similar look, the team said. A single tentacle rises up throughout the “S,” with a red eye peering through.
General manager Ron Francis gave further background on the name, via NHL.com.
"I think this name embodies a connection with the sea and a curiosity of what lies beneath it."
The team made the announcement in an online presentation at the under-construction Climate Pledge Arena, in front of construction workers tasked with building the new arena.
As far as uniforms and color scheme go, the Kraken will use a combination of four blues – deep sea blue, ice blue, boundless blue and shadow blue – to go along with red alert.
The Kraken represents the return of professional hockey in Seattle for the first time since 1975, when the Seattle Totems ceased operations along with the Western Hockey League.
Seattle’s hockey history runs deep, too. The Seattle Metropolitans of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association won the Stanley Cup in 1917, the first American team to do so.
It’s a big leap from when the NHL officially announced the expansion news on Dec. 4, 2018.
The Kraken will now enter the league with a high benchmark that they will attempt to exceed, considering the previous most-recent NHL expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights, reached the Stanley Cup Finals in their inaugural season.
The ownership group, led by film and TV producer Jerry Bruckheimer, private equity CEO David Bonderman, and sports executive Tod Leiweke, shelled out a huge sum to bring hockey back to Seattle.
NHL.com’s Nicholas Cotsonika wrote:
“There is a huge commitment here. The ownership group is investing $50 million for a parking garage, $75 million for a training center, $650 million for the NHL expansion fee and $800 million for the arena.”
What’s the next step for the Seattle Kraken? Just take a look at their Twitter bio:
“Now that we have a name, we're strategizing all the ways to draft your favorite player”
All eyes will turn toward the 2021 NHL expansion draft, where Seattle will begin filling out their roster with players from other NHL teams – save for the Golden Knights.
Prepare for the release of the Kraken.
